Transfer mechanism



June 4, 1963 sLAMAR ETAL 3,092,270

TRANSFER MECHANISM Original Filed Sept. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m h:FE

no? E/IBZ g- INVENTORS FRANK SLAMAR 8 ALFRED TEPLITZ Attorney June 4,1963 F. SLAMAR ETAL 3,092,270

TRANSFER MECHANI SM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Sept. 19. 1958 ELL.g 54 F1 3 7o mvsm'ons 54 FRANK SLAMAR & ALFRED TEPLlTZ M a wflw AttorneyJune 4, 1963 F. SLAMAR ETAL 3,

TRANSFER MECHANISM 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept.

BOX

ITBCS GEAR BOX INVENTORS FRANK SLAMAR a ALFRED TEPLITZ By M AttorneyJune 4, 1963 SLAMAR ETAL 3,092,270

TRANSFER MECHANISM Original Filed Sept. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 39 N2G Elan NSQQ 5 03.. M32 lb 62K \o O p O E II L N U fi'j INVENTORS FRANKSLAMAR a ALFRED TEPLITZ By M b. s QNQP uvwf u E 1% mm I Afloiney UnitedStates Patent This application, which is a division of our co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 760,005, filed September 9, 1958, now Patent No.3,019,577, dated February 6, 1962, relates to a transfer mechanism, andmore particularly to mechanism for transferring bundles of tin platefrom the discharge end of one conveyor to the entry end of a secondconveyor and positioning it in a desired position.

The package or bundle of tin plate could be positioned manually on thesecond conveyor, but this has the disadvantage that the workman havingthat duty might be delayed so that operations would have to wait until abundle is obtained and placed in position. Also, having a workman forthis purpose in expensive.

It is therefore an object of our invention to provide apparatus forautomatically transferring bundles of tin plate or the like from oneconveyor and positioning it in a desired position on a second conveyor.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to thefollowing specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic elevation of the transfer mechanism of ourinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken on the line II-II of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line III-lII of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURES 4 and 4a, when connected on the lines XX, disclose a schematicelectrical diagram for controlling the operation of our device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2indicates an entry conveyor. A packaging conveyor 4 is arranged parallelto conveyor 2 with its entry end alongside the exit and of conveyor 2. Amonorail transfer 6 is arranged above the conveyors 2 and 4 adjacent theexit end of conveyor 2. The conveyor 2 is driven by a motor 30 throughsuitable gearing. Bundles of tin plate S mounted on a wooden platform Phaving 'spaced apart runners PR are wrapped or packaged on the conveyor4. Conveyor 4 is of conventional design and includes a tail shaft 36 onwhich are mounted sprockets 40. In like manner sprockets and a headshaft, not shown, are provided at the other end of the conveyor. Thesprockets 40 engage two parallel strands of large pitch roller chains42. The chains 42 include rollers 44 which ride on upper tracks 46. Thechains 42 ride on lower return rolls 48. A suitable take-up device, notshown, is preferably provided.

The monorail or entry bundle transfer 6 of our invention includes a beamor rail 52 supported by columns 54, a trolley and hoist 56 mounted onthe beam 52 and traversed by means of motor 57, an assembly of verticalrollers 58 carried by hoist 56, and a sheet lifter 60 carried by theroller assembly 58. The lifter 60 is raised and lowered by a motor 61and may be of any standard form. It includes two parallel moving liftingangles or jaws 62 which engage a wood platform P on which sheets S arepiled. The angles 62 are movable toward and away from each other in anydesired manner by means of a motor 63. The lifter 60 also has anadjustable centering arm 64 at the end thereof adjacent conveyor 4. The

arm 64 may be adjusted longitudinally by a motor operated screw and nutarrangement 66. A squaring stop 68 3,092,270 Patented June 4, 1963 ismounted on columns 54 adjacent conveyor 4. The stop 68 includes spacedbrackets 70 each carrying horizontally disposed rollers 72 providing aguide for receiving and centering the roller assembly 58. The stopproper includes horizontally disposed rollers 74 arranged at the end ofrollers 72 and mounted on a spring backed plate 76. An hydraulic shockabsorber 78 carries the spring backed plate 76. Several stations arearranged along packaging conveyor 4, Station No. 1 being directlybeneath squaring stop 68.

Power to conveyor motor 30 i supplied from a generator 80 having a fieldwinding 80F. A relay coil 82 having a normally closed contact 82C isconnected the output leads of generator 80. Voltage is supplied to field80F of generator 80 through an amplifier 84. Reference voltage isapplied to generator 80 and amplifier 84 from DC. power source 86through network 88 consisting of resistors 90 and 92, capacitor 94 andnormally open contact 96C operable by relay coil 96. Relay coil 96 alsohas a normally open contact 96C1 located in the circuit to amplifier 84and a normally open contact 9602. When relay coil 96 is energizedclosing its contacts, generator 80 and amplifier 84 form a closed-loopvoltage regulating system with network 88 providing a delay in theapplication of voltage from source 86 so that the generator voltage willbuild up gradually and give a controlled acceleration to motor 30'.Motor 30 is also mechanically connected to a tachometer generator 98 andthrough a magnetic clutch 100 to slider 1028 of rheostat 102 which has asquare root characteristic. Power source 104 is connected across theterminals of rheostat 102. Generator 98 is connected to amplifier 84 byleads 106 and 108. Normally open contact 110C operable by relay coil 110is provided in lead 106. A circuit including Thyratron tube 112,secondary 1145 of transformer 114, and relay coil 116 is connectedacross leads 106 and 108. Relay coil 116 operates a normally closedcontact 116C and a normally open contact 116C1. A light source 118 and aphotoelectric cell 120 are located adjacent the exit end of conveyor 2at an elevation where the smallest bundle of sheets S on the conveyorwill interrupt the light beam. Suitable means (not shown) are providedto adjust the position of light beam 118 and photoelectric cell 120longitudinally of conveyor 2. A relay coil 124 is connected to photocell120 and is energized when the light beam is interrupted. Relay coil 124operates normally closed contact 124C and normally open contacts 124C!and 1'24C2. Supported from beam 52 in the path of movement of trolley 56are switches 126, 128, 1311 and 1322. Switch 126 has normally open contact 126C and normally closed contact 126C2 and is operable by cam 134mounted on trolley 56. Switch 128 will open when contacted by cam 134moving to the left as seen in FIGURE 1 and close when contacted by cam134 moving to the right. Switch 130 operates the reverse of switch 128.Switch 132 has normally open contacts 132C and 132C1 and normally closedcontacts 132C2. A top limit switch 136 is mounted on trolley 56 and isoperated by a cam 138 mounted on roller assembly 58. Switch 136 hasnormally open contacts 136C and 136C1 and normally closed contacts 136C3and 136C4. A switch 140 having normally closed contact 140C and normallyopen contact 140C1 is mounted on the arm 64. A switch 142 havingnormally closed contact 142C and normally open contact 14261 is mountedon the lifter 60 and may be adjusted vertically to suit the size bundlebeing handled. A switch 144 is mounted on the frame of conveyor 4 andhas normally closed contact 1440 and normally open contact 144C1. Switch146 is mounted on one of the jaws 62 and has two normally closedcontacts 146C and 146C1 and two normally open contacts 146C2 and 146C3.A switch 148 is mounted on the other jaw 62 and has a normally closedcontact 148C and a normally open contact 148C1. A switch 150 isadjustably mounted on lifter 60 and has a normally closed contact 150Cand a normally open contact 150C1. Brakes 152, 154 and 156 areassociated with motors 57, 61 and 63, respectively, and are of the typethat are in released position when their solenoids are energized and areapplied by spring pressure when their solenoids are deenergized. Motor57 is energized from a generator 153 having a field winding 1581 Thecircuit for field 158F includes a DC. power source 160, rectifier 162and resistor 164.

The operation of our device is as follows: The operator places bundles.of sheets S on the entry conveyor 2 with the platform P so arranged thatthe runners PR run transversely of the conveyor. If bundles are piledone on top of the other they must be arranged so that the one on top ispositioned with its sides in general alignment with the one below. Thelight 118 and photocell 120 are adjusted to their correct position forthe particular size bundle being handled and any other necessaryadjustments are made. No further adjustment is necessary until bundlesof a different size are to be packaged. When there is no bundle in thetake-off position at the end of the conveyor 2 the photocell 120 will beilluminated and the relay coil 124 will be deenergized and its contact124C will be closed. If the switch contact 1360 is closed or the trolley56 is over the packaging conveyor 4 so that switch contact 132C isclosed, a circuit will be completed through relay coil 96. This closescontacts 96C and 96C1, thus energizing motor 30 and causing conveyor 2to advance until a bundle interrupts the light beam to photocell 120which energizes relay coil 124. This causes clutch 100 to engage, thusmoving slider 102$ downwardly as seen in FIGURE 4. When the voltageacross Wires 106 and 108 is approximately zero, tube 112 will fire andenergize coil 116, thus opening contact 116C and closing contact 116C1.Opening of contact 116C deenergizes coil 96 to open contacts 96C, 96C1and 9602 and closing of contact 116C1 energizes coil 110 to closecontact 110C, changing the regulating system to a position which slowsdown motor 30 at a constant rate and causes the bundle to be accuratelypositioned at standstill. When the last bundle is removed from the endof the conveyor and the light beam is exposed, the clutch 100 isdeenergized and a spring (not shown) returns slider 1925 to its originalposition. When the conveyor 2 stops with a bundle or bundles in correctposition relay coil 82 will be deenergized and its contact 82C willclose so that when the trolley 56 is at its back limit with the switchcontact 126C closed, relay coil 166 will be energized, thus closing itscontact 166C. This in turn energizes relay coil 168, closing itscontacts 168C, 168C1, 168C2 and 168(33 to complete a circuit to liftermotor 61 and to brake solenoid 1548 to release brake 154. The lifterwill lower until switch 142 hits the top of the highest bundle at theend of conveyor 2, thus opening contact 142C and closing contact 142C1.Opening of contact 142C deenergizes motor 61 and sets brake 154. Closingof contact 142C1 energizes relay coil 170, thus closing its contacts170C which in turn energizes relay coil 172. This closes contacts 172Cand 17201 in the directional circuit of trolley motor 57 and also itscontact 17202, thus energizing solenoid 1528 to release brake 152.Energization of coil 170 also closes its contacts 170C! and 170C2, whichcompletes circuits through relay coils 174 and 176. Encrgization ofrelay coil 174 closes its contact 174C which completes a parallelcircuit to relay coil 172 which is already energized and also closes itscontact 174C1. Energization of coil 1 76 closes its contact 176C, thusenergizing motor 57 from generator 158 to move trolley 56 until switch140 is actuated opening its contact 140C and closing its contacts 140C1.At this time the lifter 60 is centered over the bundle. Closing ofcontact 140C1 energizes relay coil 178 which closes its contact 178C tocomplete a circuit through solenoid 1563 to release brake 156. Contacts178C], 178C2 and 178C3 are also closed completing a circuit to motor 63causing the jaws 62 to close until switches 146 and 148 are actuated.Actuation of switch 146 opens its contacts 146C and 146C1 and closes itscontacts 146C2 and 146C3. Actuation of switch 148 opens its contact 148Cand closes its contact 148C1. Closing of contacts 146C2 and 148C!completes a circuit through relay coil 180 closing its contact 180Cwhich energizes relay coil 182 closing its contact 182C to close aparallel circuit to solenoid 1548 and also closing its contacts 182C1,182C2 and 182C3 in the circuit of lifter motor 61. This raises thelifter 60 until switch 136 is. actuated, thus closing its contact 136C1to complete a circuit to relay coil 184 which in turn closes itscontacts 184C, 184C1, 184C2 and 184C3. Closing of contact 184C completesa circuit to relay coil 176 which in turn closes its contact 176C toapply voltage to generator field 158R Due to the time delay of thegenerator field the voltage build-up is gradual, giving smoothacceleration to prevent swaying of the trolley 56 at it moves the bundletoward conveyor 4. When the trolley cam 134 actuates switch to open itscontact 130C the circuit to field 158E opens and the field is dischargedthrough rectifier 162 to give a smooth deceleration until switch 132 isactuated to close its contacts 132C and 132C1 and open its contact132C2. Opening of contact 132C2 deenergizes relay coil 184 and the brake152 is applied stopping the trolley 56. When the conveyor 4 stops itcloses contacts 186C. If the conveyor 4 is stopped at this time, relaycoil 188 will be energized, thus closing its contacts 188C to complete acircuit to relay coil 168 which energizes motor 61 and releases brake154 to lower the bundle onto conveyor 4. When the bundle is on conveyor4 switch 144 is actuated to open its contact 1440 to stop movement ofthe lifter 60 and close its contacts 141C1 to complete a circuit torelay 190 closing its contacts 190C, 190C1, 190C2 and 190C3. Closing ofthe contacts energizes motor 63 and releases brake 156 so as to open thejaws 62. Opening of jaws 62 actuates switch to open its contact 150C andclose its contact 150C1. Opening of contact 150C deenergizes motor 63and applies brake 156. Closing of contact 150C1 energizes relay coil 192which closes its contact 1920 to energize relay coil 182, thusenergizing motor 61 and raising the lifter 60' until switch 136 isactuated. This completes a circuit to relay coil 174 through closedcontacts 136C1, 126C2, 146Cl and 124C2 provided there is a bundle in thetake-off position on conveyor 2. When coil 174 is energized trolleymotor 57 will be energized to move trolley 56 back toward the entryconveyor 2 until the trolley 56 actuates switch 128 to open its contact128C, thus deenergizing relays 174 and 176 which opens the field circuitof motor 57 and causes deceleration of the trolley 56. When switch 126is actuated by trolley 56 the trolley will stop and the cycle will berepeated.

While one embodiment of our invention has been shown and described itwill be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for handling bundles comprising a first conveyor, a secondconveyor having its entry end adjacent the exit end of the firstconveyor, a rail located above the conveyors and extending from the exitend of the first conveyor to the entry end of the second conveyor, ahoist mounted for movement on said rail, a roller assembly carried bysaid hoist with the axes of the rollers generally vertical, a lifterbeneath and carried by said roller assembly, said lifter including apair of movable jaws for engaging opposite sides of said bundle, meansfor moving said jaws toward and away from each other, an adjustablecentering arm between said jaws and 5 6 means for moving said centeringarm transversely of the ing said bundle onto the entry end of saidsecond conpath of movement of said jaws, means for raising and veyorwhen no bundle is on said second conveyor below lowering said lifter,and a squaring stop located above said rail and said second conveyor isstopped. igg gg g g g fii g g g gfi coz'weyor and adapted to 5References Cited in the file of this patent 2. Apparatus for handlingbundles to claim 1 includ- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing automatic means forcausing said lifter to lower and 715,746 Hoax 16, 1902 pick up a bundlefrom the exit end of said first conveyor 2 254 2 5 Harris s 2 1941 andmove said bundle to a position above the entry end 2 335,063 A i May 5,1959 of said second conveyor, and automatic means for lower- 102,956,5r4 Bishop Oct. 18, 1960

1. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING BUNDLES COMPRISING A FIRST CONVEYOR, A SECONDCONVEYOR HAVING ITS ENTRY END ADJACENT THE EXIT END OF THE FIRSTCONVEYOR, A RAIL LOCATED ABOVE THE CONVEYORS AND EXTENDING FROM THE EXITEND OF THE FIRST CONVEYOR TO THE ENTRY END OF THE SECOND CONVEYOR, AHOIST MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ON SAID RAIL, A ROLLER ASSEMBLY CARRIED BYSAID HOIST WITH THE AXES OF THE ROLLERS GENERALLY VERTICAL, A LIFTERBENEATH AND CARRIED BY SAID ROLLER ASSEMBLY, SAID LIFTER INCLUDING APAIR OF MOVABLE JAWS FOR ENGAGING OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BUNDLE MEANSFOR MOVING SAID JAWS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, AN ADJUSTABLECENTERING ARM BETWEEN SAID JAWS AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CENTERING ARMTRANSVERSELY OF THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID JAWS, MEANS FOR RAISING AND